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Public Policy
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October 01, 2024
When The Client Is The Mayor, The Usual Rules Don't Apply
Representing a public official, whether the mayor of New York City, a state legislator or a city council member, poses unique challenges for even the most experienced lawyers, who often find themselves torn between fighting battles in the press and protecting their client in court.
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October 01, 2024
Colo. Must Face Bulk Of Airline Group's Sick Leave Challenge
A Colorado federal judge refused to throw out a suit from an airline lobbying group alleging the state's sick leave law is unlawful, though he agreed to toss the group's Railway Labor Act claim because the act doesn't meaningfully disrupt current collective bargaining agreements.
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October 01, 2024
Adams Says Feds Sought To 'Tarnish' Him With Leaks
New York City Mayor Eric Adams asked a Manhattan federal judge Tuesday to sanction Southern District prosecutors for allegedly leaking the details of a criminal investigation for nearly a year leading up to his corruption indictment, saying negative press has hurt his standing with the public and undermined his right to a fair trial.
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October 01, 2024
NYC Bar Urges Congress To Place Ethics Rules On High Court
The New York City Bar Association called on Congress to put U.S. Supreme Court justices under enforceable ethics rules in a report released Tuesday, throwing its support behind reforms, such as the creation of a Judicial Investigation Panel and an Office of the Inspector General.
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September 30, 2024
AI Safety Bill Veto Shows Calif. Taking Regulatory 'Baby Steps'
The California governor's rejection of sweeping legislation to ensure the safe deployment of large-scale artificial intelligence models — and his simultaneous embrace of more targeted proposals to regulate the technology — is likely to result in the wider creation of regimes that favor "baby steps" over broad strokes, experts say.
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September 30, 2024
Colo. Says Kroger Merger Would Divest To 'Retail Liquidator'
Colorado enforcers told a state judge Monday that Kroger Co.'s plan to inoculate against the anticompetitive effects of its $25 billion merger with Albertsons is doomed to fail because the company that would acquire hundreds of stores is a "liquidator" with no intention of running the stores long term.
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September 30, 2024
Texas' Standing Theory Yet To Be Tested At High Court
Litigation challenging federal immigration policy has become a cornerstone for both Democratic and Republican-led states, but Texas-led suits have introduced a unique theory of standing that has yet to be tested in the U.S. Supreme Court.
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September 30, 2024
Ga.'s 'Heartbeat' Abortion Ban Struck Down Once Again
Georgia residents had their legal access to abortion temporarily restored Monday as the state's so-called heartbeat abortion ban was again struck down by a judge whose previous move to block the 2019 law had been reversed by the state's highest court.
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September 30, 2024
Wheeling & Appealing: The Latest Must-Know Appellate Action
The year's spookiest month is looking scary-good for appellate aficionados, as famed oral advocates joust in October over net neutrality and Uber's extraordinary bid to unravel multidistrict litigation — just two of the high-profile arguments previewed in this edition of Wheeling & Appealing. October also begins with former President Jimmy Carter turning 100, and we'll test your knowledge of his profound impact on the judiciary.
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September 30, 2024
Calif. Becomes Latest To Ban 'Captive Audience' Meetings
California has become the 10th state to ban so-called captive audience meetings, with Gov. Gavin Newsom signing a union-backed bill that bars employers from making workers attend meetings on religious or political matters, such as forming a union.
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September 30, 2024
Licensed DC Pot Shops Take Aim At Illicit Stores
A new lawsuit in D.C. federal court is taking aim at allegedly "unlicensed and illegal cannabis dispensaries" in the district, saying the unregulated market is squeezing out legal businesses.
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September 30, 2024
If Not Asylum Curbs, What Else? Mayorkas Says In Defense
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas pointedly criticized those who have condemned new restrictions on asylum-seekers, saying Monday the limits must be viewed in light of a need for order at the southern border.
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September 30, 2024
Wi-Fi Experts Hope Gov't Opens More Midband Airwaves
A new report from the group WifiForward touts wireless internet services as a major driver of the U.S. economy and urges the federal government to quickly open portions of the 7 gigahertz airwaves to expand their availability across the country.
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September 30, 2024
GM's Cruise To Pay $1.5M Penalty Over SF Robotaxi Crash
General Motors Co.'s Cruise LLC agreed to pay a $1.5 million civil penalty for failing to promptly disclose that one of its self-driving vehicles last year had dragged a pedestrian for 20 feet, the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced on Monday.
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September 30, 2024
Newsom Signs Landmark Intersectionality Anti-Bias Bill
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed into law a bill enshrining intersectionality in the state's anti-discrimination laws, making California the first state in the country to explicitly recognize the concept, the governor's office announced over the weekend.
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September 30, 2024
Commerce Dept. Seeks To Streamline AI Development Exports
The U.S. Department of Commerce issued a final rule Monday to streamline the export of items to preapproved data centers in foreign countries, which is intended to help boost the development of artificial intelligence.
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September 30, 2024
USPTO Locks In Director Review Rule, 3 Years After Arthrex
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director Kathi Vidal issued a final rule Monday on the agency's process for having the director review certain Patent Trial and Appeal Board decisions, solidifying a mandate laid out by the U.S. Supreme Court three years ago.
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September 30, 2024
Ex-Fla. State Sen. Convicted Of Setting Up 'Ghost Candidate'
A Miami jury found former Florida state Sen. Frank Artiles guilty on Monday of campaign contribution violations related to a scheme to prop up a "ghost candidate" to swing a state Senate election to a Republican candidate.
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September 30, 2024
2 Crypto Think Tank Execs To Step Down At End Of Year
Crypto policy think tank Coin Center said Monday that its executive director and one of its senior lawyers plan to step down at the end of the year.
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September 30, 2024
Alaska-Hawaiian Merger, An Aviation Anomaly
A promise to keep their distinct brands and a smaller national market share with few overlapping routes helped Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines seal their merger, a rare feat amid the Biden administration's tough antitrust enforcement and zealous opposition to consolidation, experts say.
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September 30, 2024
J&J Backs Off 340B Rebate Plan Following Feds' Objections
Johnson & Johnson abandoned its plan Monday to offer rebates rather than upfront discounts for two medications under the 340B drug pricing law, contending it had no choice after a federal agency threatened to impose excessive penalties.
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September 30, 2024
Arizona Legislature Says State Can't Slip Monument Suits
The Arizona State Legislature fired back at Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs' attempt to dismiss its lawsuit seeking to upend the Biden administration's creation of a national monument on an Indigenous site, defending its alleged injuries as "concrete and imminent."
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September 30, 2024
Biden Admin Expands Asylum Curbs At Southern Border
The Biden administration on Monday quadrupled the length of time during which stringent asylum restrictions that were introduced in June will remain in effect.
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September 30, 2024
FCC Approves Audacy's Soros Deal, Triggering GOP Anger
The Federal Communications Commission has given the green light to the purchase of an ownership interest in bankrupt radio station owner Audacy Inc. by a fund manager with ties to George Soros.
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September 30, 2024
Red States Back High Court Bid To Undo Mont. Voting Order
Fifteen Republican-led states are backing a U.S. Supreme Court petition by Montana that looks to undo a determination that two voting laws hindered Native Americans and students from participating in the election process, arguing that the state's high court transgressed the ordinary bounds of judicial review in making its decision.
Expert Analysis
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Opinion
USPTO AI Patent Guidance Leaves Questions Unanswered
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s recent guidance on artificial intelligence patent eligibility is unlikely to answer many of the open questions that AI patent applicants face, as it includes nominally new analysis that applicants can adopt to analyze their inventions, say attorneys at Fenwick & West.
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Illinois BIPA Reform Offers Welcome Relief To Businesses
Illinois' recent amendment to its Biometric Information Privacy Act limits the number of violations and damages a plaintiff can claim — a crucial step in shielding businesses from unintended legal consequences, including litigation risk and compliance costs, say attorneys at Taft.
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Unpacking Executive Privilege, Contempt In Recent Cases
The U.S. House of Representatives’ recent move to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress is the latest example in a growing trend of executive privilege disputes, and serves as a warning to private citizens and corporate leaders who are in communication with the president, says Kristina Moore at Womble Bond.
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Gilead Drug Ruling Creates Corporate Governance Dilemma
If upheld, a California state appellate court's decision — finding that Gilead is liable for delaying commercialization of a safer HIV drug to maximize profits on another drug — threatens to undermine long-standing rules of corporate law and exposes companies to liability for decisions based on sound business judgment, says Shireen Barday at Pallas.
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5 Insights Into FDIC's Final Rule On Big-Bank Resolution Plans
Although the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s recently finalized rule expanding resolution planning requirements for large banks was generally adopted as proposed, it includes key changes related to filing deadlines, review and feedback, and incorporates lessons learned — particularly from last year's bank failures, say attorneys at Cleary.
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3 Notes For Arbitration Agreements After Calif. Ruling
After last month's California Supreme Court decision in Ramirez v. Charter Communications invalidated several arbitration clauses in the company's employee contracts as unconscionable, companies should ensure their own arbitration agreements steer clear of three major pitfalls identified by the court, say attorneys at Cooley.
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Opinion
Focus On Political Stances May Weaken Labor Unions
Recent lawsujits and a bill pending in the U.S. House of Representatives call attention to the practice of labor unions taking political stances with which their members disagree — an issue that may weaken unions, and that employers should stay abreast of, given its implications for labor organizing campaigns, workplace morale and collective bargaining, says Daniel Johns at Cozen O'Connor.
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Opinion
Time To Reimagine The Novation Process For Gov't Contracts
The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council, which recently extended a long-standing request for public comments on its novation procedures, should heed commenters' suggestions by implementing specific changes in its documentation requirements, thereby creating a more streamlined and practical novation process, say attorneys at Covington.
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Unpacking The Latest FTC Guidance On Multilevel Marketing
Branko Jovanovic and Monica Zhong at Edgeworth Economics discuss the Federal Trade Commission's recent advice for multilevel marketers on how MLMs should approach their income and earnings reports, including participants costs, typical proceeds and distributor gains.
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3 Leadership Practices For A More Supportive Firm Culture
Traditional leadership styles frequently amplify the inherent pressures of legal work, but a few simple, time-neutral strategies can strengthen the skills and confidence of employees and foster a more collaborative culture, while supporting individual growth and contribution to organizational goals, says Benjamin Grimes at BKG Leadership.
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The OIG Report: DOJ's Own Whistleblower Program Has Holes
A recent Office of the Inspector General memo found that the U.S. Department of Justice’s whistleblower program failed to protect federal employees whose security clearances were allegedly suspended in retaliation — a serious cause for concern that could have a potential chilling effect on would-be whistleblowers, says Diana Shaw at Wiley.
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How Justices' E-Rate Decision May Affect Scope Of FCA
The U.S. Supreme Court’s eventual decision in Wisconsin Bell v. U.S., determining whether reimbursements paid by the E-rate program are "claims" under the False Claims Act, may affect other federal programs that do not require payments to be made by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, says David Colapinto at Kohn Kohn.
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Series
After Chevron: Don't Let Loper Lead To Bank Compliance Lull
Banking organizations are staring down a period of greater uncertainty over the next few years as the banking agencies and industry navigate the post-Chevron world, but banks must continue to have effective compliance programs in place even in the face of this unpredictability, say Lee Meyerson and Amanda Allexon at Simpson Thacher.
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New State Carbon Capture Laws: Key Points For Developers
Multiple states have introduced or expanded legal frameworks for carbon capture and sequestration this year, and while there are some common themes, many of these state laws include unique approaches and requirements — which developers and investors should be aware of when considering potential projects and investment risks, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.
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Opinion
Chevron Reversal May Protect IP Rights Under Bayh-Dole
The U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Chevron deference may block the Biden administration's nearly finalized guidance reinterpreting the Bayh-Dole Act, protecting intellectual property rights and preventing harm to innovation and economic activity, says Brian O'Shaughnessy at Dinsmore & Shohl.